Crossover for overhead trolley systems



CROSSOVER FOR OVERHEAD TROLLEY 5Y$TEMS Original Filed July 5, 1934Patented Jan. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES rrics CROSSOVER FOR OVERHEADTROLLEY SYSTEMS corporation of Illinois Original application July 5,1934, Serial No. 733,708. Divided and this: application April 13, 1938,Serial No. 201,770 1 4' Claims.

This invention relates to a crossover and has special reference to acrossover suitable for use where the intersecting wire form a small.angle.

More particularly the crossover of the present invention is designed topositively guide a current collecting member, whether mounted on a fixedor swivel harp, under the crossover so that the current collector willcontinue along the same wire, thereby preventing. any possibility of thecurrent collecting member switching from one wire to another, which mayoccur if no positive guide means are provided.

The crossover of this invention acts automatically and positively todirect the current carrying member, and may be used either in a singleor double conductor trolley system. It has a minimum of moving parts.and may be comparatively light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture.Therefore, there is little p0ssibil-' ity of the crossover becominginoperative for any reason.

The present application is a division of application Serial No. 733,708,filed by Richard Roy Holden, July 5, 1934, and entitled Overhead trolleysystem.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawing in which latter:

Figure l is a bottom plan view of a crossover embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the crossover shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a central cross-sectional view of the crossover shown in Fig.1.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the crossover shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the pin and slot construction.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a new form of simplifiedcrossover embodying this invention. The crossover of the presentinvention may comprise a base member 66 having runners El, 68, 69 anddepending therefrom. Perforated ears ll are provided in the base member66 adjacent the outer ends of the runners and perforated ears l2 may bevprovided adjacent the central portion of the crossing. These earsprovide means for connection to the cross spans to support the crossoverin proper position. In forming the base member 66, a central aperture oropening may be provided in which the operating structure hereinafter tobe described is positioned. As shown particularly in Fig. 1, adjacentrunners 6'! and 68 and adjacent runners 69 and 18 may be formed, inpairs with the oppositely disposed runners being substantially acontinuation of each other.

The present crossover is particularly suitable where the angle betweenthe intersecting trolley wires is extremely small. The inner ends of therunners may be tapered as shown in Fig. 1. In this. way, sufiicientdistance is provided between adjacent runners to permit the flanges ofourrent-collecting members to pass therebetween. Means are provided forguiding a current-collecting member passing along runner ill to theoppositely disposed runner it or along the runner 58 to runner 69, andvice versa; This may comprise a base plate '13 for attachment to theupper side of the base member 66 over the central aperture providedtherein, so that it may be easily removed from the base member 66. Onthe underside of the base plate '23 adjacent the ends thereof aresubstantially pointed runner members '14, 15, f

16, and El, which in effect are continuations of and, when in position,form the inner ends of the runners tl, 68, E8, and it. A movable guidemember is is pivotally mounted substantially midway between the endsthereof to the base plate 13. A stud shaft l9 extends upwardly through abearing portion 80 on the top of the base plate '53 and is movablymounted therein so as to be capable of vertical movement as well asrotation. The ends of the movable member 18 are preferably pointed sothat the sides thereof may engage and lie close to the respectivepointed runners i l, l5, l6, and ll. Extending upwardly from the movablemember l8 through apertures in the base plate provided therefor areportions 8!. The portions 53! are preferably positioned not far distantfrom the ends of the movable member '18. Projecting from the portionsill are pins or similar members 82 which fit in slots 83 providedtherefor in guide members M. These slots 83, as shown particularly inFig. 5, are preferably substantially V-shaped. They not only serve toguide the pins 82 and thereby the movable member l8 to operativeposition, but also support the movable member l8. When in normaloperative position the pins 82 seat in the bottom or apex of the slots33, and the lower surface of the movable member it projects below thepointed runner portions l4, 5'5, l6, and ll. This is shown in Figs. 3and 5. The distance from the outer sides of the runner portions 74, l5,l6, and H at the outer ends thereof to the opposite side of the pointedends of the movable member [8 is made slightly less than the distancebetween the inner faces of the flanges of the current-collecting membersto be used therewith. With this construction, when a current-collectingmember is moving along one of the runners such as the runner 61 on thebase member, the inner face of the outer side of the current-collectorengages the outer side of the runner member I4, and the other inner faceof the opposite side of the current-collecting member engages the far,side of the pointed end of the movable member "I8. As it moves along themovable member 18, due to the widening thereof, the current-collectingmember forces the member 18 toward the runner member 14 and, at the sametime, due to the upward pressure on the current-collecting member, whichpressure is ordinarily about 28 pounds, the movable member is movedupwardly and the pins 82 slide upwardly in the slots 83, so that themovable member 78 is urged into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Themovable member 18 is held in this position until the current-collectingmember passes beyond the same and onto the oppositely disposed member10, whereupon, due to the weight of the movable member, the same dropsback into normal position with the ends of the movable membersubstantially midway between the runner portions 74 and 15 and therunner portions 16 and 11. With this construction a current-collectingmember passing along any one of the members Bl, 68 69, and 10 will beautomatically and positively guided to the oppositely disposed runner.Guide flanges 840. are preferably provided on the base member 66. Themovable parts are reduced to a minimum so that the whole crossover maybe inexpensive to manufacture and will continue in use for a long periodof time without the necessity for any repairs.

Futher modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, andit is desired, therefore, that the invention be limited only by theprior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. A trolley crossover having runners thereon at an angle to each otherand a unitary movable member normally positioned in a lower inactiveposition, said member being mounted so as to be capable of movement indirections upwardly and sidewardly so as to be moved into operativeposition adjacent to and in substantial alignment with either of saidrunners by contact of a current-collector therewith for guiding acurrentcollector from or to said runners, said crossover being providedwith a slot having two portions extending at an angle to each other,means on said movable member for co-operating with said slot to guidesaid movable member to position adjacent either of said runners uponcontact of a current-collector therewith, said movable member being soshaped and positioned that a current-collector passing along eitherrunner will be guided onto said movable member when the latter is insaid inactive position.

2. A trolley crossover having runners thereon at an angle to each otherand a unitary movable member normally positioned in a lower inactiveposition, said member being mounted so as to be capable of movement indirections upwardly and sidewardly so as to be moved into operativeposition adjacent to and in substantial alignment with either of saidrunners by contact of a current-collector therewith for guiding acurrentcollector from or to said runners, said crossover being providedwith a slot extending upwardly and to each side of the lower portionthereof, means on said movable member for co-operating with said slot toguide said movable member to position adjacent either of said runnersupon contact of a current-collector therewith, said movable member beingso shaped and positioned that a current-collector passing along eitherrunner will be guided onto said movable member when the latter is insaid inactive position.

3. A trolley crossover having runners thereon at an angle to each otherand a unitary movable member normally positioned in a lower inactiveposition, said member being mounted so as to be capable of movement indirections upwardly and sidewardly so as to be moved into operativeposition adjacent to and in substantial alignment with either of saidrunners by contact of a current-collector therewith for guiding acurrentcollector from or to said runners, said crossover being providedwith a substantially V-shaped slot, means on said movable member forcooperating with said slot to guide said movable member to positionadjacent either of said runners upon contact of a current-collectortherewith, said movable member being so shaped and positioned that acurrent-collector passing along either runner will be guided onto saidmovable member when the latter is in said inactive position.

4. A trolley crossover having runners thereon at an angle to each otherand a unitary movable member normally positioned in a lower inactiveposition, said member being mounted so as to be capable of movement indirections upwardly and sidewardly so as to be moved into operativeposition adjacent to and in substantial alignment with either of saidrunners by contact of a current-collector therewith for guiding acurrentcollector from or to said runners, said crossover being providedwith a pair of spaced V-shaped slots, means on said movable memberadjacent the ends thereof for cooperating with said slots to guide saidmovable member to position adjacent either of said runners upon contactof a current-collector therewith, said movable member being so shapedand positioned that a current-collector passing along either runner willbe guided onto said movable member when the latter is in said inactiveposition.

BERTHA BELLE HOLDEN, Erecutrix of the Estate of Richard Roy Holden,

Deceased.

